About the Commandant

Major General Staff Pilot Rashad Al Sa'adiCommandant of National Defense College

Major General Staff Pilot Rashad Al Sa'adi has held his current assignment as the Commandant of National Defense College since 2, August 2012. He joined the UAE Armed Forces in 1978 and obtained his basic aviation certificate from the French Army Aviation School in 1979. He started his professional career as an operational pilot in the Anti-tank Helicopter Squadron (Gazelle). After he obtained his Qualified Flight Instructor Certificate from the Royal Air Force (UK), he joined the Anti-surface Vessel and General Utility Squadrons. He participated in many local and overseas courses such as France, Egypt, United Kingdom and the United States of America. Among these courses was the Air Warfare Course held at the Air University at Maxwell Air Force Base in Alabama. He also took part in many programs, seminars, and workshops with senior military and government officials at Harvard University and the US National Defense University.

He was promoted through the rank structure and held many posts in Air Force and Air Defense Forces as an operation officer and squadron commander. General Al Sa'adi also served in the Training and Operations Department of the Air Force and Air Defense Headquarters. He was appointed as the Commandant of Air Force and Air Defense Institute and later as the Commander of Al Dhafra Airbase before he held his assignment as the Commandant of the Joint Command and Staff College.

Message of the Commandant

The idea of creating a college as a senior military institute tackling national strategic security and preparing the defense of the state was inspired by a comprehensive erudite review that amalgamates all national strategic dimensions and aims at developing leaders to assume leadership positions in the armed forces and the civil sector at the strategic level.

H.H Sheikh Khalifah Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the State and the Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces (May Allah protect Him) has issued Federal Law by Decree No. 1 for the year 2012, promulgating the establishment of the UAE National Defense College, Article One of which decrees that :There shall be established in the UAE Armed Forces an educational institute to be known as the ‘National Defense College’ which will be based in the city of Abu Dhabi. The college shall be specifically designated and geared to prepare and train potential military leaders and civilian officers and to hone their skills in identifying and assessing challenges to national, regional and international security. The study program shall help participants better understand the fundamentals and requirements of managing and employing the state resources for the sake of protecting national interests.

To this end, and in compliance with the GHQ directives entailing the use of information technology, the UAE NDC has launched its official website to introduce this pathfinder and erudite college that is dedicated to develop the intellect and strategic security planning at the national,regional and international levels inspired by a vision that is in harmony with the zeitgeist and the future.

We do hope that this website will serve as a platform for firming academic partnerships and collaboration with various academic institutions, and introduce our NDC highlighting its importance in the community of UAE, other Arab and friendly countries. Moreover, we do hope that this website will contribute to the NDC vision and the objectives.

We look forward to constantly being the devoted and loyal workers to the development of our armed forces and our bountiful country under the wise leadership of H.H. Sheikh Khalifah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the President of the State, the Supreme Commander of UAE Armed Forces (May Allah protect him),and H.H. Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum,Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai (May Allah protect him), and the directives of H.H. Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan,the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, and Deputy Supreme Commander of the UAE Armed Forces.